Truck Accident Lawyers in Reading, PA

Berks County’s Longest-Established Motor Vehicle Injury Firm

The Pennsylvania Turnpike, I-78, Route 222, and Route 422 carry heavy commercial truck traffic through Berks County, while I-81 is a major trucking corridor through neighboring Schuylkill County. When a loaded tractor-trailer hits a passenger vehicle on any of these corridors, the results are often catastrophic. The size and weight disparity alone can turn a side-swipe into a fatal crash.

Liever, Hyman & Potter has been fighting for wrongful injury victims since 1959, making us the longest-established local motor vehicle injury law firm. Our four attorneys handle only wrongful injury and death claims. No real estate closings, no business contracts, no other case types. Every hour we bill is on behalf of someone who was hurt through no fault of their own. That singular focus adds up: our attorneys have devoted virtually their entire careers to this work, representing more than 115 combined years in a single practice area. 

If you or a family member has been hurt in a commercial truck accident, we can help. Our motor vehicle accident practice includes decades of truck accident representation backed by a documented record of seven-figure results.

Call us today at (610) 885-1991 for a free consultation. You pay nothing: no fees, no expenses, unless we recover money for you.

Why Accident Victims Choose Liever, Hyman & Potter

Lead attorney John R. Badal was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1978 and to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1991. His entire legal career has been devoted exclusively to representing wrongful injury victims. He holds national recognition as a member of both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, memberships tied to documented case results at those dollar thresholds, not honorary designations. He has also served as Chairman of the Civil Litigation Section and the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Berks County Bar Association.

The legal community refers to us as “The Lawyers’ Lawyers.” A significant portion of our clients come through referrals from other law firms, satisfied former clients, and community members who know our record. That reputation reflects more than longevity. It reflects results. In a recent three-year period alone, our attorneys recovered more than 500 awards and settlements, including numerous million-dollar and multi-million-dollar outcomes. Since our founding in 1959, we’ve won thousands of awards and settlements for victims and their families, more than any other firm located in the Berks and Schuylkill County area.

Every case we accept is carefully reviewed and assigned to a Civil Trial attorney qualified to handle it.

Why Truck Accident Cases Are Legally Complex

A truck accident claim involves far more moving parts than a standard car accident case. Liability can extend beyond the driver to the trucking company for negligent hiring, scheduling, or training. It may also reach the cargo loader, the vehicle manufacturer, or a third-party maintenance provider. In a number of our cases, our investigation has traced fault to PennDOT or a municipality responsible for highway maintenance and design.

Federal Regulations & Comparative Negligence

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations add another legal layer. The FMCSA sets hours-of-service limits, commercial driver CDL qualification standards, drug and alcohol testing requirements, and mandatory inspection rules. When a trucking company or driver violates these regulations, that violation can establish negligence. This is a critical factor in how these cases are built. Pennsylvania’s modified comparative negligence rule also applies: a victim found 50 percent or less at fault may still recover, though their recovery is reduced proportionally.

Timing Matters

Timing matters. Electronic logging device data, dashcam footage, driver qualification files, and maintenance records can be lost or destroyed within weeks of a crash. Trucking companies and their insurers often dispatch investigators to the scene immediately, creating an evidence gap that victims acting alone rarely can close. The earlier we’re involved, the better positioned we are to demand preservation of that evidence.

How We Investigate Truck Accident Claims

To build your case, our team may bring in professional investigators, photographers, accident reconstruction engineers, and other experts. Accident reconstruction engineers can use physical evidence, skid marks, vehicle data, and witness accounts to establish exactly what happened and who was at fault. Our truck accident attorneys in Reading, PA, have decades of experience investigating injury claims throughout Pennsylvania.

When we take a truck accident case, one of our first steps is sending a formal preservation letter to the trucking company and its insurer, putting them on notice to retain electronic logging device records, dashcam footage, maintenance files, and other documentation before it’s overwritten or destroyed. This is the multi-party liability work the trucking company’s investigators are already doing on their end.

Dealing with Insurance Companies & Adjusters

After a commercial truck accident, you’ll likely be contacted by the trucking company’s insurance adjuster. Their goal is to minimize the payout, not to help you. They may suggest the crash was your fault or ask for a recorded statement. Anything you say can be used to dispute or reduce your claim. Don’t give a recorded statement before speaking with an attorney.

Our attorneys at Liever, Hyman & Potter handle all negotiations with insurance companies and trucking companies, using their knowledge of insurance laws and tactics to counter lowball offers. We’re prepared to pursue your claim at the negotiation table or in the courtroom.

Truck Accident Results We’ve Obtained for Clients

Results in truck accident cases vary with the facts, but our published awards and settlements give a concrete picture of what serious, well-prepared representation can accomplish. Past results don’t guarantee future outcomes, but they do reflect how we prepare and fight these cases.

Selected truck accident settlements and awards:

• $3.5 million — Wrongful death case arising from a multiple-vehicle pileup, pursued against both the trucking company and the shipper. We litigated through a bankruptcy filing and multiple attempts to move the case out of Berks County Court of Common Pleas, and assisted the Berks County District Attorney’s office in the prosecution of the truck driver.
• $2 million — A construction site worker permanently injured when a passing tractor-trailer smashed into a flatbed truck.
• $1.45 million — A single mother’s car was struck by a commercial bus, resulting in a serious head injury, multiple fractures, and a life flight to a trauma hospital.
• $1.2 million — Insurer paid after a truck driver swerved across the centerline while following a school bus too closely.
• $1.1 million — A 73-year-old retired teacher struck by an overturned dump truck on Route 73 between Blandon and Oley, PA; our investigation undermined the driver’s defense and successfully challenged a Medicare lien.
• $900,000 — A beer truck crossed the center line and struck the client’s vehicle.
• $750,000 — Tractor-trailer accident victim suffered a punctured lung, nine fractured ribs, a broken pelvis, a fractured left tibia and arm, and was later diagnosed with PTSD.

Steps to Take After a Trucking Accident

Assess the Situation & Ensure Safety

The immediate aftermath of an accident is critical. Ensuring the safety of yourself and others involved should always be the first priority. If you’re able to move without causing further injury, get to a safe location away from traffic. Turn on hazard lights and set up emergency cones or triangles if available.

Call Emergency Services

Reporting the accident to emergency services is essential. A police report documents the incident and can be valuable for both your insurance claim and any legal case that follows. Medical teams can also address injuries at the scene before they worsen.

Gather Information

Collecting detailed information at the scene can significantly aid your case. Exchange contact and insurance details with the truck driver and any witnesses. Photograph the vehicles, the road, skid marks, visible injuries, and anything else that may be altered or removed before investigators return.

Seek Medical Attention

Injuries from truck accidents can range from obvious to subtle, with some symptoms taking days to appear. Seek medical attention immediately, even if no injuries are apparent. Documenting your visit and any diagnoses links your injuries to the accident. This is a connection the trucking company’s insurer will otherwise try to dispute.

Do Not Give a Recorded Statement

The trucking company’s insurance adjuster may call within hours of the crash. Decline to give a recorded statement before speaking with an attorney. Anything you say can be used to reduce or deny your claim, and adjusters are trained to ask questions in ways that shift fault onto the victim.

Contact a Truck Accident Attorney

The earlier an attorney is involved, the better positioned you are to preserve critical evidence. Preservation letters sent promptly after a crash can prevent trucking companies from overwriting electronic logging device records, deleting dashcam footage, or disposing of maintenance files. Early involvement also gives you a legal advocate before the trucking company’s own investigators have finished their work.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Do I Have to File a Truck Accident Claim in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally two years from the date of the accident. Missing that deadline may forfeit your right to recovery regardless of how strong the case is. This is general information, not legal advice. Contact us to discuss the specifics of your situation.

The Trucking Company’s Adjuster Already Called Me. What Should I Do?

Don’t give a recorded statement. Adjusters contact accident victims quickly and ask questions designed to reduce the company’s liability. Tell them you’re represented or that you’ll be speaking with an attorney before making any statement. Then call us.

How Does Your Fee Agreement Work?

You pay no fees and no case expenses until we recover money for you. Unlike many other law firms, our agreement explicitly states that you won’t have to repay any expenses we advance on your behalf unless we recover money for you. We also offer a free consultation. Call (610) 885-1991 to get started.

Talk to an Attorney at No Cost

Our truck accident attorneys in Reading, PA, have won numerous awards and settlements for victims of semi-truck accidents and fatal truck accidents, including many million-dollar and multi-million-dollar results.

We handle trial matters in state courts in Reading and Berks County, Pottsville and Schuylkill County, Philadelphia County, and in federal courts in Reading and Philadelphia. 

Contact Liever, Hyman & Potter today at (610) 885-1991. Your consultation is free, and you owe us nothing unless we recover money for you.